Need a bike to tackle a commute involving lots of uphill

[cauliflower128]

Hi there, I am looking for an bike that has battery power to get me to and from on my 18km commute - each way. I can charge it in between. On the way home I have mountains to climb. 3 km pretty much straight up. I don't want to spend more than 2500 and have looked at juiced and surface 604. Can someone help me? I know I need a 500 W motor with 48 volt battery. But how do i know what will get me up the hill after work without losing all the battery? I am tired at 11pm at night and want a lot of help. thanks

 

[Barry S]

Is your commute asphalt road, trails, combo, etc? Do you have a LBS nearby where you can try different ebikes? For climbing, you'll want to stay with a mid-drive or "geared" rear hub.

 

[Alaskan]

I live on a hill about 700 feet above the center of town and come up that hill at least twice per day. Not sure of the grade but it can be quite steep, depending on which approach I take. I am 67 years old, weigh 210 lbs and am riding a Cube Touring Hybrid Exc with a Bosch CX mid-drive motor, 36 volt battery and Shimano Dior XT with an 11 speed cassette. The hill is not even a factor anymore. I can bump the bike into turbo (max boost) mode and head up the steepest parts (that I used to walk up in my old bike) at 10mph. The less steep parts that used to be so intimidating and barely doable, I ride up at 15mph. I am spending about an hour per day on my bike now, averaging almost 16mph.

 

[Barry S]

Check out this video for an entry-level explanation of mid-drive and rear hub motors. This video will explain the difference between a direct drive rear hub and geared rear hub motor.

 

[rich c]

I'm surprised how many people live on mountains and post on this forum! We see it all the time! Can you ride a traditional bicycle on your commute? How fast do you want to ride straight up that mountain? Straight up is a pretty lofty goal on two wheels unless it's a motorcycle. Also curious how you know what motor and voltage to use?